L’Annapurna Showcase He didn’t count titles this year that might have left the fanbase drooling, but what was presented was once again able to demonstrate the well-known indie publisher’s willingness to develop talent by focusing on partnerships with artist-rich development teams and supporting small groups. the number of programmers willing to undertake projects that are normally overlooked by majors because of their characteristics.
this Third ShiftA team of two young German developers are undeniably part of the second set, and Annapurna has decided to support them in the creation of a video game called Forever Ago. panorama.
It is essentially a narrative adventure, in which the protagonist Alfred decides to travel after an unspecified tragic event. The good thing is, there doesn’t seem to be any compelling, weird mystical elements or pressures to make things more exciting and action-packed… Forever Ago only focuses on the “journey”, the personalities Alfred met and events from the past. places he visited. , all inspired by the nature and landscapes of North America.
In short, we’re talking about a game that has all the credentials to become a little cult among those who love meditative and quiet experiences, it certainly isn’t lacking given the gameplay it offers intriguing features to explore. We have tried to briefly explain some of our doubts. Interview with Forever Ago developers and although they did not want to reveal many secrets of their work, some interesting information was revealed. Here’s what we know.
In the caravan and in the company
Alfred is a lively old man, but not fit enough to walk for miles. Therefore, your journey will mainly be on a ship. camper, and will cover several locations that are very different from each other. Third Shift also confirmed that there will be no “driving” episodes and the camper will be active mainly in the cutscenes between one stage and the next. It seems the goal is to make the car somewhat customizable (although they haven’t gone into detail in that sense) without really making it central to the mechanics. Ah, while we’re talking about places to visit, Forever Ago’s setting will be based on American landscapes, but not closely linked to real places.
this maps they are mostly invented and only partially constructed, inspired by real spaces; It also looks like there will be no shortage of diversity, as you can see both desolate expanses worthy of the Nevada desert and forested areas rich in vegetation.
But as mentioned, Alfred will not be alone during his travels. The game will feature a pretty colorful cast of characters and a separate environmental interaction mainly dedicated to gathering information about places and the people who live there. Alfred’s companions will not only be human: in fact, in several scenes and screenshots we can clearly see the hero, accompanied by a dog. When we asked the developers for clarification, they didn’t unbutton the furry four-legged role, but they confirmed that it’s a street where our alter ego runs into during the adventure and will undoubtedly play an important role. travel.
The desire to change the pace and gameplay of the campaign from time to time has also been confirmed. A wooded section is clearly nocturnal and sees Alfred battling bad weather and generally more nervous than the others. Now, definitely don’t expect survival stages during this virtual tour, but we think it would be interesting to consider how the build might change from episode to episode.
photos and memories
Most of the experience seems to be related to this. photography. It’s clear that the developers are passionate about vintage cameras, and on Forever Ago it seems that Alfred has a camera he almost never leaves. The photos taken are used to document the journey and appear to be in a very important album/diary for progress. Interestingly, there must also be some small environmental puzzles about photography that confirm Alfred’s passion for landscapes is not a simple garnish to exploration.
Speaking of the latter, maps should not be particularly extensive. The experience will be mostly linear and guided, with maps that are bigger than others, but never really “open” and open. Despite these limitations, what we saw is still pretty impressive when you consider that the game is programmed by only two people in Unity.
And Expected arrival date? I must say though. Third Shift said they’ve been working hard on the project and progressing pretty well, but they haven’t been able to make an accurate estimate yet. Therefore, it will take us a long time to believe before we take on the role of the good Alfred and his white beard. Never mind, the confidence in Annapurna is complete and who knows if this title is a little indie pearl too.
Source: Multiplayer
